Charlotte Hogan

I am a PhD student with a background in microbial ecology and strong passion for Australian wildlife conservation.

After completing my Honours at UNSW with Katherine Moseby in 2023 - researching the link between soil fungal communities and native mammal reintroduction -
I spent time as an intern with Arid Recovery (SA), a research assistant for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (BCI, Panama) investigating microbial decay of rainforest trees, and working on threatened species recovery/breeding programs for the ACT government.

Through my work I hope to contribute to improved understanding, management and appreciation of Australia's beautiful dryl

Supervised by: Will Cornwell, Mike Letnic

Project Title: The role of microbes and invertebrates in brown food webs and biodiversity in the arid zone

Project Description: Traditional views of arid-zone ecology states that 'boom and bust' cycles drive ecological processes, with ecosystem productivity maintained by short bursts of green activity following episodic rainfall, driving nutrient cycling and sustaining life. However, the impressive biodiversity in Australia's arid zones indicates that species, and the ecosystem processes they support and are supported by, persist through extended dry periods when primary productivity is minimal. This suggests that alternative energy pathways, such as ‘brown food web’ (comprised of senescent vegetation), may also play an important role in sustaining productivity, ecosystem function and biodiversity in arid zones.

My research aims to investigate how disruptions to the link between green and brown food webs, driven by the removal of large amounts of plant biomass via grazing livestock and native herbivores in arid Australia, affect above- and below-ground components of brown food webs (such as microbes and invertebrates) and decomposition processes.